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Oyster, Netflix for books, is launching the beta version of its iPhone app

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Re: Oyster, Netflix for books, is launching the beta version of its iPhone app

#62

Post by smackfu »

patmcc wrote: post #7

The "Netflix for books" is, and has long been, libraries. And yes, almost all of them have an ebook program in addition to their huge supply of paper books.

I agree with the other responses that library ebook programs are hamstrung by the fact that they can only lend out as many copies as they "own". So if you want a popular book in ebook form, good luck. Might as well just buy it considering how long the wait is.

Re: Oyster, Netflix for books, is launching the beta version of its iPhone app

#63

Post by epochwolf »

zzzmarcus wrote: post #59

It seems like the main complaints are that: - It's iPhone only. This will, of course, change. They have to launch somewhere first. - We already have public libraries and Overdrive. Sure, they are out there but they don't solve the problem that Oyster does. If you just want to flip through a bunch of books and see what you feel like reading, your current options are to go to a physical bookstore or library or hope Ama…

I wish they had an iPad app or a way to send books to my kindle. Reading on my phone sucks. :(

Re: Oyster, Netflix for books, is launching the beta version of its iPhone app

#64

Post by edwardunknown »

GotNothing wrote: post #12

For $9.95 a month, I'd rather support my local library/bookstore. Unlike movies, where I could watch 5-6 on a really lazy Saturday, books take quite a bit more time. I'm a pretty regular reader and I'm lucky if I get through 2 books a month. Based on: http://gawker.com/5971571/are-you-an-above+average-book-read... I read about the average (outlier) person, so for $9.95 I'd rather own the one or two books I can read t…

It depends on the selection and how well it's categorized, a huge, searchable virtual library of old and rare texts would definitely be worth $10 to me. If it's just the NYTimes best sellers, probably not.

But my mom and her friends would probably go for it, the absurd price of ebooks turned them all into pirates, old ladies shouldn't know what Demonoid is but they all do. Getting them to spend $400 on an iPad, that's a different story.

Re: Oyster, Netflix for books, is launching the beta version of its iPhone app

#65

Post by RandallBrown »

TallGuyShort wrote: post #20
hatu wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hasn't Audible done this for a long time already?

You're right - I guess I'm thinking more of the Kindle business model (I was thrown off by all the Amazon references). With Audible, I believe you have to stream the books, but when I want to listen to an audio book, I usually don't have a reliable connection (e.g. road trips). It would be great if you could download the audio (even temporarily, much as I hate DRM) as part of the subscription. Since I'm now talking a…

with Audible you have to download the files. You can only stream 50 mb of the book (about 3 hours)

You only get 1 book a month with the base Audible subscription, but you get pretty heavy discounts on purchasing books.

You also get to keep the audiobook.

Re: Oyster, Netflix for books, is launching the beta version of its iPhone app

#66

Post by __abc »

anigbrowl wrote: post #46
baddox wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except that libraries tend to be free.

In some libraries you pay an annual membership fee, not dissimilar to the flat monthly fee paid to Netflix (and now Oyster), as opposed to the per-rental fee Blockbuster used to charge.

Where? Is it for some sort of "premium" access? Otherwise, that's what tax dollars go towards.

Re: Oyster, Netflix for books, is launching the beta version of its iPhone app

#67

Post by __abc »

rfnslyr wrote: post #37
anigbrowl wrote: post #6

The model is just too compelling for consumers: Pay a reasonable price, get access to all the content you want without having to own it I quite like owning my books, actually. There's already an alternative to doing so, called a library; since the book sales business did quite well int he pre-internet days despite the widespread availability of libraries, I'm not sure why the author thinks a functioning e-book librar…

I feel the same way. I love owning my stuff. My MP3 files, my ebooks, my hardcopies, vinyls, cd's, etc. All this "in the cloud" stuff just adds an extra overhead to my already stressful life. "Will this company perish and all my shit be gone? Is it secure?" are questions I always think about. When I have that physical copy, the (mostly) only person I have to blame is myself for not maintaining my items integrity.

Different strokes. Owning that stuff would add way more overhead and stress for me. Different folks.

Re: Oyster, Netflix for books, is launching the beta version of its iPhone app

#68

Post by anigbrowl »

__abc wrote: post #66
anigbrowl wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In some libraries you pay an annual membership fee, not dissimilar to the flat monthly fee paid to Netflix (and now Oyster), as opposed to the per-rental fee Blockbuster used to charge.

Where? Is it for some sort of "premium" access? Otherwise, that's what tax dollars go towards.

There are such things as private libraries (here's one in SF: http://www.milibrary.org/), and public libraries in other countries have different policies.
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